Blower screen



y 13, 1958 E. M. BURNS I 2,834,060

BLOWER SCREEN Filed March '12, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l Edward M. Burns 64INVENTOR.

May 13, 1958 Filed March 12, 1956 O o 1' O 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NE Ec EdwardM. Burns INVEN TOR.

United States Patent 2,834,060 BLOWER SCREEN Edward M. Burns,Porterville, Calif. Application March 12, 1956, Serial No. 570,740 4Claims. (Cl.'19--72) This invention relates in general to new and usefulimprovements in blowers of the cotton cleaning type, and morespecifically to an improved screen for cotton cleaning blowers.

In order that cotton may be transferred from mechanical cotton pickersto cotton carriers there is normally provided a blower for blowing thecotton from the cotton picker to the cotton carrier. It has beenproposed in my copending application Serial No. 478,126, filed December28, 1954, to utilize the screen so that the same blower may be used incleaning the cotton. While several types of screen have been disclosedin my copending application, and said screens have proved satisfactory,it is the object of this invention to provide an improved screen whichis very effective in the retention of cotton and at the same timepermits the complete passing of trash so that the cotton may beeffectively cleaned by the cotton cleaning blower.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved screen forcotton cleaning blowers, the screen being of an extremely simpleconstruction and formed of readily obtainable material so as to berelatively inexpensive.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved blowerscreen for cotton cleaning blowers, the screen including inner and outerconcentric drums, there being disposed between the drums a spiral woundstrip which forms the screen element of the screen, the strip presentingnarrow slots through which air and trash may pass and at the same timesaid slots are of a size to prevent the passage of cotton whereby thecotton may be effectively cleaned.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved cottoncleaning blower which includes fans of the paddle wheel type, individualblades of the fans being channel shaped in cross-section so as toeffectively guide the air in its tangential path from the fans at anincreased acceleration.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary end view of the cotton cleaning blower whichis the subject of this invention and shows the general details of thedrive means thereof;

Figure"2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view takensubstantially'upon the'pl-ane indicated by the section line 2-2 ofFigure l and shows the specific details of the cotton cleaning blowerincluding the construction of the screen thereof, the arrangement of thevarious air and cotton passages thereof and the arrangement of fans withrespect to the passages;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional viewtaken substantially upon thefplane indicated bythe line 33 of Figure .2and shows the specific. details of construction of the, blower screen;

Figure..4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional-view .--t akensubstantially upon the plane indicated by thesection line 44 of Figure 2and shows the specific details of the construction of one of thefans;

I Figure Sis-an, enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a dividerwhich forms a part of the blower screen; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the blades of thefans.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there isillustrated the cotton cleaning blower which is the subject of thisinvention, the blower being referred to in general by the referencenumeral 10. The blower 1t) includes a circular cross-sectional housingwhich is referred to in general by the reference numeral 12. The housing12 functions as a screen housing and includes a cylindrical body member14 having secured to opposite edges thereof end plates 16 and 18.

Mounted within the housing 12 is a blower screen which is referred to ingeneral by the reference numeral 20. The blower screen 20 includes aninner drum 22 and an outer drum 24 which are disposed in concentricrelation. Mounted within the inner drum 22 is a concentric sleeve 26which forms a bearing sleeve. The opposite ends of the inner drum 22 areprovided with seals 28 sealing the ends of the inner drum with respectto the end plates 16 and 18 of the housing 12.

The sleeve 26 is connected to the inner drum 22 by means of at least oneannular plate 30. Mounted in opposite ends of the sleeve 26 are suitablebearings 32 which are mounted on a shaft 34. The shaft 34 has one endthereof welded as at 38 to a plate 40 secured to the inner face of theend wall 16. The opposite end of the shaft 34 passes through the endwall 18 and is retained in place by means of a nut 42.

The blower screen 20 also includes a screen element which is referred toin general by the reference numeral 44. The screen element 44 extendsbetween the inner drum 22 and the outer drum 24 and is formed by aspiral woundstrip 46, as is best illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. Thestrip 46 is relatively inexpensive and may be easily shaped to providethe desired screen element 44.

Secured to opposite faces of the strip 46 are dividers 48 and 50, thedivider 48 being disposed adjacent the plate 16. The dividers 48 and 50extend between the inner drum 22 and the outer drum 24 and have theiropposite ends secured thereto.

The dividers 48 and 50 are radially disposed, as is best illustrated inFigure 3, and reinforce both the drums 22 and 24 and the screen element14, opposed edges of the dividers 48 and 50 being secured to edges ofthe strip 46.

In order that a proper seal may be provided between the screen element46 so that the screen element may be divided into individual sections bythe dividers 48 and 50, there is secured to the edges of the dividers 48and 50 remote from the screen element 44 several sealing strips 52 and54, respectively, which engage the plates 16 and 18, respectively, thusproviding a suitable seal between the blower screen 20 and the housing12. The arrangement of the seal 54 with respect to the divider 50 isbest illustrated in Figure 5.

Formed in the lower part of the plate 16 is a cotton inlet opening 56.Aligned with the cotton inlet opening 56, but formed in the plate 18 isa trash outlet opening 58. Formed in the upper part of the plate 18remote from the trash outlet opening 58 is a hot air inlet opening 60. Acotton outlet opening 62 is formed in the plate 16 in alignment with thehot air inlet opening 60.

Secured to the lower part of the plate 16 in alignment with the cottoninlet opening 56 and extending upwardly therefrom is a duct 64. Theupper part of the duct 64 is in the form of a fan housing 66. Extendingcentrally through the fan-housing 66 is a shaft 68. The fan housing 66includes spaced walls 70 and 72 through which the shaft 68 passes, thewall 72 being provided with a suit- Patented May 13, 1958 able bearing74 for the shaft 68. Secured to the wall a fan housing 80, the fanhousing 30 being directly communicated with the interior of the housing12 through the cotton outlet opening 62. The fan housing 80 has adischarge opening 82 and has a wall 84 thereof disposed gremote from thecommon wall 72.

The shaft 68 has mounted thereon for rotation therewith fans 86 and 88,the fan 86 being disposed in the fan housing 66 and the fan 88 beingdisposed in the fan housing 80. In order that the fans 86 and 88 may berotated, there is mounted on the shaft 68 adjacent the bearing 78 adouble pulley 90. The pulley 90 has connected thereto a drive belt 92whose opposite end (not shown) is suitably connected to a tractor onwhich the cotton cleaning blower is mounted.

In order that the screen 20 may be rotated, there is carried by the fanhousing 66 adjacent the wall 70 thereof on the top surface of the fanhousing 66 a bearing 94.

'A similar bearing 96 is carried by the wall 84 in alignment with thebearing 94. Extending through the bearings 94 and 95 and journaledtherein for rotation is a shaft 98 having mounted on one end thereof apulley 10d aligned with a part of the pulley 9t Entrained over thepulleys 90 and 100 is a drive belt 102. Carried by the opposite end ofthe shaft 98 is a drive sprocket 104 which passes into the housing 12through an opening 106 formed in the cylindrical portion 14. Secured tothe outer surface of the drum 24 is a chain 103 which is meshed with thedrive sprocket 104.

The fans 86 and 88 are identical. Accordingly, only the fan 86 will bedescribed in detail. As is best illustrated in Figure 4, the fan 86includes a central hub 110 which has radiating therefrom a plurality ofspokes 112. Secured to each of the spokes 112 is a paddle which isreferred to in general by the reference numeral 114.

As is best illustrated in Figure 6, each paddle 114 includes a bladeportion 116 which is suitably secured to its respective spoke 112. Inorder that the paddle 114 may be most elfective in operation, it is madechannel shaped in cross-section. Accordingly, there is secured to oneface of each of the blades 116 along opposite edges thereof anglemembers 118. As the fans 86 and 88 rotate, the blade portions 116 willdirect centrally received air outwardly and the angle members 118 willcontrol the flow of such air so as to increase the radial velocitythereof. Thus the elficiency of the fans 86 and 88 is increased.

In the normal operation of the present invention newly picked cotton,which is slightly moist, will be received portions of the strip 46 andwill pass out througha duct 120 connected to the plate 18 in alignmentwith the trash outlet opening 58. The trash will then be expelled uponthe ground in any desired manner. Inasmuch as the screen element 44 isbeing rotated, the cotton impinged upon the screen element 44 willrotate therewith until it is in alignment with the hot air intakeopening 60.

Secured to the plate 18 in alignment with the hot air intake opening 60is a conduit 122.. The conduit 122 I will receive air which has beenheated from the exhaust manifold or other portions of the tractor (notshown) on V which the cotton cleaning blower 10 is mounted. This hot airwill pass through the screen element 44 from the side thereof oppositeto which the cotton is impinged on.

The hot air which is drawn in by the fan 88 willthen remove the cleanedcotton from the screen element 44 and the fan 88 will then force it outthrough the duct 82. The hot air will dry the cotton to the desiredmoisture content and there will be connected to the duct 82 a suitablecotton carrier (not shown) in order that the cotton may be transportedfrom the field in which it is being picked.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a cotton cleaning blower, a housing, a screc rotatably mounted insaid housing, a cotton inlet in one side of said housing, a trash outletin an opposite side of said housing in alignment with said cotton inlet,a hot air inlet in said opposite side remote from said trash outlet, acotton outlet in said one side in alignment with said hot air inlet,said screen including concentric inner and outer drums, a spiral woundstrip extending be tween said inner and outer drums intermediate endsthereof, dividers extending radially between said inner and outer drumsand dividing said strip into sections, said dividers being secured tosaid strip and reinforcing said strip.

2. In a cotton cleaning blower, a housing, a screen rotatably mounted insaid housing, a cotton inlet in one side of said housing, a trash outletin an opposite side of said housing in alignment with said cotton inlet,a hot air inlet in said opposite side remote from said trash outlet, acotton outlet in said one side in alignment with said hot air inlet,said screen including concentric inner and outer drums, a spiral woundstrip extending between said inner and outer drums intermediate endsthereof, dividers extending radially betwen said inner and outer drumsand dividing said strip into sections, said dividers being secured tosaid strip and reinforcing said strip, sealing means carried by saiddividers and engaging said housing to seal said screen to said housing.

3. A cotton cleaning screen for a cotton cleaning blower, said cottoncleaning screen comprising concentric inner and outer drums, a spiralwound strip extending between said inner and outer drums intermediateends thereof, dividers extending radially between said inner and outerdrums and dividing said strip into sections, said dividers being securedto said strip and reinforcing said strip.

4. A cotton cleaning screen for a cotton cleaning blower, said cottoncleaning screen comprising concentric inner and outer drums, a spiralwound strip extending between said inner and outer drums intermediateends thereof, dividers extending radially between said inner and outerdrums and dividing said strip into sections, said dividers being securedto said strip and reinforcing said strip, a bearing carried by saidinner drum, drive means for rotating said screen connected to said outerdrum.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS418,087 Thomas Dec. 24, 1889 521,159 Garraux June 12, 1894 1,011,259Smith et a1. Dec. 12, 1911 1,026,432 Dey May 14, 1912 1,224,598 BurchMay 1, 1917 2,339,295 Rust Jan. 18, 1944 2,466,210 Creager Apr. 5, 1949FOREIGN PATENTS 975.557 France Oct. 17, 1950

